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German and Canadian scientists have announced plans to open an advanced research centre on semiconductors, metals, magnetic materials and other aspects of quantum physics.

The Max Planck-UBC Centre for Quantum Materials is a joint project between the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, and Germany's prestigious Max Planck Society, with additional funding from the German government and a private endowment at the university.

The funding agreement - with an initial $1 million over five years - will pay for annual exchanges by more than two dozen professors and graduate students from Canada and Germany, a centre news release said.

It will only be the third time such a centre has been funded outside of Germany, with the two others being in India and Spain.

A University of British Columbia spokesman said in a statement on Monday that officials are discussing long-term goals including opportunities for post-doc programs, joint tenure track positions, joint senior professorships, support for joint capital projects, and new facilities.

"The knowledge and discoveries generated from these collaborations will profoundly change the lives of present and future generations," said university president Stephen Toope in the statement.

A Max Planck Institute in North America is also under construction in Florida.

Scientists funded by the research institute have won 32 Nobel prizes since 1914, noted the society.